5 Ronin #1 Review

A Ronin samurai seeks revenge.

Marvel is trying something completely different with their five-part weekly miniseries 5 Ronin. For that alone I commend them. Taking characters like Wolverine, Hulk and Deadpool, who have been overexposed as of late, it is refreshing to hear their interesting stories told in a different fashion. In this first issue, we have Peter Milligan and Tomm Coker bringing us the story of the Ronin Wolverine.

As a big fan of Japanese samurai films I was anxious to see what Milligan could do to bring life to this concept. Wolverine is a character that seems so natural to this type of story, so I was sure that there was no way that this could be anything other than a slam dunk. Unfortunately, the story is a bit too ambiguous and typical for the genre. As it goes, Wolverine's master is killed and he sets off on his own path to find his killer. While there is a bit of mystery that keeps the story moving, it failed to grip me, only really making me care for the character and his predicament until the final four pages.

This issue does feature art that is worth checking out. Coker and colorist Daniel Freedman have created a book that visually tells the story. Capturing the look of mood of samurai films, those looking for this aspect to shine in 5 Ronin will be pleased.

My question after finishing the issue is whether Wolverine's story carries into the upcoming issues, or if this was a one-and-done tale that has been left open ended in case they decide to revisit this concept at a later point. If they continue Wolverine's quest in this mini, I will consider this issye a passable introduction to a world. If they do not, this is a lame story that ended far too short. Here's hoping they pick up Ronin Wolverine's tale next week in Ronin Hulk's issue.